NIGEL Farage has revealed that he admires Russian president Vladimir Putin more than any other world leader.

But the Ukip leader had less kind words for Angela Merkel, describing the German chancellor as “incredibly cold”.

He also claimed to see little to choose between the leaders of Britain’s three major parties, telling GQ magazine that he does not “give a damn” who wins next year’s general election.

Mr Farage was quizzed for the new edition of the magazine, which comes out today, by Labour’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell in his first interview as the magazine’s “arch-interrogator”.

Asked which current world leader he most admired, Mr Farage replied: “As an operator, but not as a human being, I would say Putin.

"The way he played the whole Syria thing.

"Brilliant.

"Not that I approve of him politically.”

Farage also stated that he does not approve of Putin politically [EPA]

The way he played the whole Syria thing. Brilliant

UKIP leader Nigel Farage

Mr Putin has been blamed by the West for prolonging the Syrian conflict by supplying arms to dictator Bashar Assad and blocking moves to censure or sanction him at the United Nations.

On Mrs Merkel, Mr Farage said: “She is incredibly cold.

"Whatever you think of the public image of Merkel, in private she is even more miserable.

"I warm to more extrovert people.”

Asked to say “something nice” about the three main party leaders, Mr Farage said David Cameron is “a perfectly nice fellow who stands four-square for nothing,” Ed Miliband a “nice chap, not very worldly – I would love to see him in a working men’s club in Newcastle”, while Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg – who took on Mr Farage in a debate last week – was a “very nice guy, just wrong”.

Mr Farage said there was “absolutely no doubt at all” that the Prime Minister decided to offer an in/out referendum on Britain’s EU membership because of pressure on his party from Ukip, adding: “It was the last thing he wanted to do. He was Mr No, No, No.”

Asked who he would like to win the election, he replied: “I don’t care...if I was back in the London Metal Exchange I’d not give a toss because 100 per cent of the legislation affecting me is made in Brussels.”

Pressed to pick between Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband, Mr Farage said: “Don’t give a damn. Ed has come up with some pretty bonkers ideas.”